Adjustable piston for engines



H. B. GOODHART ADJUSTABLE PISTON FOR ENGINES Nov. 20', 1923. 1,474,470

Filed July 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Shept 1 I JLyI/Q 2/ Z gwvantoo H. B. GOODHART ADJUSTABLE PISTON FOR ENGINES Filed y 20. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

NITED STATES PATENT HOWARD B. GOODHART, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES A. 'POTTS, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE PISTON FOR ENGINES.

Application filed July 20,

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HOWARD B. GOODHART,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Adjustable Piston for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable pistons for engines, and is more particularly appl1- cable for use in connection with internal combustion engines, although it may be used upon other forms of engines and for other purposes.

The prime object of my invention is to construct a piston of the character indicated to eliminate the use of piston rings or packings of any description.

A further object of my invention is to provide a piston comprising a plurality of longitudinal sections having overlapping portions or tongues and a plurality of expansion rods adapted to be operated with the piston head for moving the longitudinal sections outwardly to maintain the piston in engagement with the walls of the cylinder, which entirely eliminates any oil from getting between the piston and the cylinder walls into the combustion chamber.

A still further object of my invention is to construct a piston of the character indicated having a hollow circular space formed between the body of the piston and the plurality of longitudinal sections so that oil from the tank case is permitted to enter the hollow circular space through the boss of the body of the piston to maintain the piston in a cool condition at all times.

And a still further object of my invention is to provide a piston of the character described, which consists of relatively few and simple parts, one that can be easily and quickly assembled within the walls of a cylder, and which is not only durable and efficient forthe purpose intended, but one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a relatively low price.

I am aware tlat various attempts have been made to construct a piston without the use of rings, but so far as I am aware none of these have met with success as they generally employ springs or some other means for automatically taking up and holding the piston tightly against t e walls of the cyl- 1922. Serial No. 576,295.

tons becoming over-heated and useless, but

such is not the case with my improved piston:

These and like objects of the invention will be better understood as the description follows and as is specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and which clearly illustrate the construction and operation of my improved piston,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a piston constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the piston head, showing means adapted to be employed for expanding the longitudinal portions of same.

Figure .3 is a vertical section through a piston constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line l5l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of my improved piston, showing the plurality of longitudinal portions removed from same, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the expansion rods.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, like characters will be used to designate like parts in the different views.

In the drawings. the numeral '1 indicates the inner member or body of my improved piston, which is formed adjacent its lower end with an annular flange 2. A circular groove 3 is formed in the member 1 beneath the piston head 4, and a plurality of longitudinal slots 5 are formed in the body 1, the upper end of each slot communicating with the circular groove 3, the purpose of which will be better understood as the description follows.

A plurality of longitudinal members 6 having overlapping end portions 7 which are provided with inclined end walls 8. Each of the members 6 is provided with a flange 9 which is adapted to be seated within the circi'llar recess '5 and a flange 10 formed adjacent the lower edge of same which is adapted to be su imortcd on the flange 2 of the body 1.

A series of longitudinal expansion operating plates 11 are supported against the outer face of'the body 1. Each of the ex pansion operating membersll is. provided with inclined end walls '12, which are adapted to engage the inclined walls of the end portions 7 of'each of the members 6. Each of the members 11 is provided adjacent the upper edge with a flange. 13 which is positioned in the circular groove 3 and aflange 14 adjacent the lower end which is supported on the flange 2 of the body 1 "so that the flanges 13 and 14 coact with the flanges 9 and to form a hollow circular space between the outer members 6 and 11 and the body -1, so that oil from the crank case may pass through the opening 15 in the boss '16 of the member 1 and enter the hollow circular space 17 to keep the .pistonin a cool condition at all times.

Each of'the flanges. 13 and 14 are provided with a cam face 18. An expansion rod 19 is positioned ineach of the longitudinal grooves 5 and is provided with a cam face 20 at the top and bottom of same, the said cam face 20 of .the expansion rod 19 adapted to engage the cam face of the flanges l3 and 14.

Adjusting screws 21 are positioned in top of the piston head 4 and are adapted to extend through the piston head and engage the upper end of the expansion rods 19.

From the foregoingdescription of my in- 'vention, it can be readily seen that after a piston constructed in accordance with my invention is placed within the walls of a cylinder, the adjusting screws 21 are operated to force the expansion rods 19 downwardly, so that the cam faces 20 of same will engage the cam faces of the flanges 13 and 14, which forces the members 11 outwardly, during which operation the inclined ends 12 adjacent the inclined ends 8 of the members 6 also move the latter outwardly into engageferred form of my invention, I realize that various minor changes may be resorted to, wlthout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, and therefore,

I do notvwish. to limit myself the exact details of construction shown, nor to the combination andarrangement of parts.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. A piston for use in an internal combustion engine cylinder or ,the like comprising a bod member, a plurality of longitudinal wall sections, 'a plurality of expansion plates, expansion rods slidably positioned provided with inclined outer faces adapted to operate against the inclined inner faces of the wall sections, expansion rods positioned between the body member and the expansion plates, and adjusting screws positioned in the head of the piston for engagement with the'expansion rods to move the wall sections andex ansion plates into engagement with the we s of the cylinder. 3. A piston for use in an internal combustion engine or the like comprising a body member having a circular groove formed beneath the head of the piston, a plurality of longitudinal wall sections, each of said sections provided with a flange for engagement with the circular groove, a plurality ofexpansion'plates, each of said expansion plates provided with a flange for engagement with said circular groove, a cam face formed on the flange of each of the expansion plates, aseries of expansion rods po sitioned within a coolin chamber between the body member and t e wall sections, a cam face formed on each of said expansion rods for engagement with the cam faces of the expansion plate flan es, and adjusting screws positioned inthe cad of the piston for engagement with the expansion rods for holding the plurality of wall sections and expansion plates into engagement with the walls of the cylinder.

signature in the presence of two witnesses. HQWARD B. GOODRT. Witnesses:

t H. O. Come EMZAEEIH Essen.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my 

